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Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson has admitted in court he had been a "careless" editor but denied that meant he was involved in phone hacking. He was being questioned in the hacking trial about what he knew of reporters' criminal activities on his watch.

Andy Coulson admitted he made "a bad mistake" on a story sourced from David Blunkett's voicemails but denied he "turned a blind eye" over the hacking of the former Home Secretary's phone.

The former News of the World editor was asked why he never inquired of chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck where he got the taped phone message in which Blunkett declared his love for Spectator publisher Kimberly Fortier in 2004.

Andy Coulson told the Old Bailey hacking trial he made the decision not to "help or hinder" a 2006 police investigation into hacking at the now-defunct News of the World.

"I made my decision, and I decided that I wouldn’t hinder the police investigation, but I made the decision I wouldn’t help the police investigation," the paper's former editor said in response to a question by co-defendant Clive Goodman's lawyer, David Spens QC.

Mr Coulson also accused the ex-royal editor of "completely twisting" his words after a meeting at a cafe in Wimbledon, south west London, in which Mr Goodman alleges his boss tried to convince him to admit he undertook hacking a "lone wolf".

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson told the Old Bailey hacking trial that he regrets exposing David Blunkett's affair with Kimberly Fortier as he was accused of "pure hypocrisy" over the 2004 story.

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson told the hacking trial that he regrets exposing former David Blunkett's affair Credit: PA

During cross-examination by co-defendant Clive Goodman's lawyer, David Spens QC, the 46-year-old said the "irony" was not lost on him that he was being unfaithful to his own wife at the time.

Mr Coulson also conceded that reporter Neville Thurlbeck, who played him the former Home Secretary's voicemails in relation to the affair, had escaped disciplinary action and was not reported to the Press Complaints Commission.

He said he had never asked Mr Thurlbeck how he obtained the messages.

Mr Coulson denies one count of conspiring to hack phones and two counts of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

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Andy Coulson told the Old Bailey hacking trial today that an email ordering "Do his phone" had nothing to do with hacking, but was an instruction to inspect the phone bill of a News of the World staff member who he suspected of leaking stories.

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson with his wife Eloise arriving at London's Old Bailey today Credit: ITV News

The former NotW editor denied the order had anything to do with hacking the phone of Calum Best, son of footballer George Best.

"I was quite resistant to the idea of anybody working for me leaking stories but there was a growing body of evidence that was being put forward by some other people on the paper and in the end - reluctantly - I approved the request for billing data in relation to (the staff member)," he said.

Andy Coulson has told court the phone hacking trial that David Blunkett's voicemails were the only ones he personally heard.

Mr Coulson said he was "shocked" when reporter Neville Thurlbeck played him the recordings, which indicated the then Home Secretary was having an affair with Kimberly Fortier, who was publisher of the Spectator at the time.

Mr Coulson denies one count of conspiring to hack phones and two counts of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

Andy Coulson has said he regrets not telling David Blunkett that his phone had been hacked, claiming he did not know at the time that the practice was illegal.

Mr Coulson told the Old Bailey that he confronted the former Home Secretary after intercepted voicemails indicated he was having an affair. However, he had refused to mention how he had made the discovery, the jury heard.

"At that stage, I didn’t know it was illegal and I felt it was possibly justified," he said.

Mr Coulson was then asked if the News International lawyer told him that phone hacking was against the law.

"At the time of David Blunkett, there was no mention of illegality," he replied.

Mr Coulson denies one count of conspiring to hack phones and two counts of conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.